


Parity

by Io_Laire



Series: PMD Stories [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pokemon Mystery Dungeon
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Fix-It, Fluff and Angst, PMD1 blame game, SPOILERS FOR PMD1, as much or as little as you like, player deserves better, somewhat shippy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 10:40:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 644
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22155664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Io_Laire/pseuds/Io_Laire
Summary: Parity; the quality of equivalence.Often, your worst enemy is your doubts, the hypotheticals within.Often, solace lies in the present.Often, things are not what they seem.(or: player being a typical moody human and partner being supportive, an indeterminate time in PMD1 pre-reveal)
Relationships: Partner Pokemon & Player Character (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon), Partner Pokemon/Player Character (Pokemon Mystery Dungeon)
Series: PMD Stories [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594951
Kudos: 11





	Parity

**Author's Note:**

> I played PMD1 ages ago and was annoyed over how the player was so quick to assume their guilt for everything. Eventually I decided to do something about it and this happened.

They were surrounded by darkness. The only light came from the cave walls, a dim blue glow that was a welcome change from the typical rocky brown. 

“You’re worrying again.”

“I am.”

“I’d ask why, but I think I already know the answer.”

“Heh. It’s funny, how predictable I am.”

“Worrying won’t fix anything, you know.”

“I know.”

“Look. Look at me.” 

“I’m looking at where I think you should be.”

A paw poked the vulpix’s muzzle. “Listen. You need to hear this. I haven’t known you long. Not that long, at any rate. And yet, I’ve seen your compassion, your willingness to help those in need.”

“A lot of that was because you dragged me along.”

The paw returned for another poke. “I saw it on our first mission and I see it now. You made us help that wanderer a few days back, even though there was a possibility of drawing attention to ourselves. You would do it again, I know that. I know you, Em. I know that you do the best you can for everyone. As sure as I’m a shinx with a taste for pecha.”

“Your glowing endorsement of my character is appreciated, but that doesn’t change what I might have done. What I probably did. The legend… .”

“The legend means nothing. And anyway, why do you think I’m here? I’m here because I believe in you, Emily. I believe that the others have made a mistake. And I believe that the hypothetical past doesn’t define you. Yes, you might have been that human in the legend. So what? Worst case, you did that before and then ended up here. So what if you are indirectly responsible for the disasters because of something you did so long ago?”

The vulpix’s next words came out as a hiss. “I would have been responsible for the insanity of a great number of innocent—.”

“Have you even been listening to me? First off, you might not be responsible. Who’s to say it wasn’t someone else? Secondly, even if you did abandon that gardevoir in the past, felt up a ninetales, that was, as I repeatedly said, in the past. From what I’ve seen, you’ve done a fantastic job of making amends for something that might not be your fault. Give yourself a little more credit here.”

“Hah. I don’t know about feeling that ninetales up, pretty sure I didn’t do that, but the other stuff? What if I did that and… .”

Poke. 

“No. You, right here, you have shown me you care about this. Isn’t that proof that you’re not the heartless monster you seem so intent on imagining? People wanted a target and Gengar gave you to them. It’s not what you’ve done that matters to them, it’s the blame they can place on you. And don’t even start on telling me to leave you because you’re putting me in danger, this isn’t out of pity. Think of it as a favour to me. I can’t in good conscience abandon someone innocent. All the more, I can’t abandon my innocent friend. Get it? It’s for me. Let me help you.” The shinx looked earnestly at the dim silhouette of her friend. 

A tentative smile followed, barely visible in the dim light, but it was a start. “I can’t possibly say no, can I?”

“Nope, you’re stuck with me! Now come on, we’ve got some exploring to do. Think of our… situation as extra motivation. Might as well see the world while we’re at it, am I right?”

“True. The company helps, too.” If there had been light to see by, the vulpix might have looked a little redder than usual as she said it. But there wasn’t, and so anything that might or might not have happened with regards to that was moot. Of course, there would always be light eventually. 

**Author's Note:**

> Because I felt full names would detract from the flow and headcanon that they have nicknames for each other anyway, for anyone curious:  
> Emily—vulpix  
> Amber—shinx


End file.
